This invention relates to protecting against loss or theft of portable items such as identification badges and is especially, but not exclusively, suited to immediately notify an owner if the portable item becomes separated by more than a short distance from another electronic device carried by the owner.
Protecting the security of buildings and facilities is a high priority in some environments. This is especially true for critical and high security environments such as government offices, military facilities and restricted areas of an airport. An identification badge with a photograph of the authorized person typically forms part of the process for restricting access. A lost or stolen badge creates a security risk. If the security personnel checking badges does not personally know the person presenting an authentic badge, an impostor who has or is made up to have a similar appearance to the person pictured on the badge could be granted access.
If an authorized user becomes aware that his badge has been lost or stolen, the authorized user can mitigate the security risk by informing appropriate security personnel who can then watch for a person presenting the badge or can invalidate the badge and issue the authorized user a new badge. However, a greater problem is presented when the authorized user is unaware that his badge has been stolen. For example, a thief seeking to steal a person's access badge might wait for an authorized user to enter an environment favorable to a pickpocket attempt such as a crowded train or bus. Then, the pickpocket or a team of pickpockets working together could distract the user and remove the badge from the user's coat pocket, purse or from a pocket of a laptop computer carry bag. Following an unnoticed theft of the badge, a security risk is posed until the authorized user becomes aware of the missing badge. If the theft of the badge occurs at the end of a workday, the authorized user may not become aware that the badge is gone until the following day. This provides the thief with an opportunity to seek access to the secured facility by using the stolen badge soon after the theft knowing that it is unlikely that the authorized user will become aware of the missing badge for some time. Therefore, there exists a need to provide increased security addressing the unnoticed theft of personal badges.